superbatprime

@primepower53 said:

his mistakes make him interesting.

He is the one I find most relatable.

Point taken, in that regard I'd agree, carrying the guilt of Xanshi made him into a very complex character, I spoke too soon.

Plus thinking about it now, he did redeem himself in epic style during Blackest Night, not many heroes have had to fight the population of an entire planet... solo.

In fact that's actually one of my favorite moments in BN tbh... Jeez, I really spoke too soon.

I hereby withdraw my objection and shut my big mouth. :)

@primepower53 said:

Hmm... I dunno about John... I mean, sure he might be the black hero you like the most but the best black hero?

I mean, how many superheroes have screwed up so badly the population of an entire planet got killed? (Not to mention all the GLs who got wasted by Yrra Cynril when she found out would still be alive if he hadn't messed up).

pfft, all lies.

It's obviously the Black Bomber.

@Adnan said:

I keep hearing that Mr Zsasz is an extremely dangerous H2H combatant, but I don't think I've ever read anything with him getting much pagetime...

I can't remember any really good examples either tbh, I think it's more a case of it just being an accepted fact we're told by characters from time to time.

I do remember him getting the drop on an exhausted Bruce in Knightfall (which is impressive even if Batman is exhausted) and I remember him holding his own against a combo of Damian Wayne and Abuse (although ultimately getting royally pwnd by Damian).

...and I dimly remember everyone having kittens when Leslie Thompkins had him on a gurney in her makeshift clinic during No Mans Land (and when he woke up he had a few slick moves going on).

@FadeToBlackBolt said:

I hate threads where the answer is as simple as;

READ THE DAMN COMIC

Woah easy Tiger.

You're not wrong however as all 3 points have pretty much been answered in the comics, but it's fun to hammer these things out anyway and less work than going through backissues.

Anyway back to the topic.

Now I'm going to contradict what I just said... OP I urge you to read (the DAMN COMIC! , j/k :P) the conversation Bruce has with Jezebel about being rich and philanthropy etc, it's brief but gets the point across. It's in Batman & Son (I think it's B&S... Ninja Manbats show up if that helps any)

Also you need to understand that Bruce and Wayne Enterprises are a single entity economically, look at real world examples of philanthropic rich dudes who own mulitnational corporations, Branson and Virgin for example, it's far more complex an issue than you are painting it.

Why doesn't Tony Stark do the same?

Hell, why doesn't superman just crush piles of coal into diamonds and make everybody on the planet a millionaire? (once again I direct you to Bruce and Jezebel at the art show).

On the armor question, fair enough, you understand the suit and it's various functions... But I think you don't quite understand the man wearing it.

The answer is nothing to do with the practicalities of crimefighting and everything to do with the psychology of the man himself.

Bruce and the city, Batman and the myth he has created.

You should reread act one of Year one.

He has created this icon, this creature... Most street level thugs don't even think he's human, they think he's a monster, a shade, a demon.

He could wear armor and hover in the air on jetboots and zap all the bad guys with stun rays or rapid fire batarangs shooting out of his gauntlets ( where have we seen that before?).

But then he's just a man in an armored suit... No longer a myth, no longer seemingly doing the impossible, no longer more than a man (I know it seems like a self contradicting statement, Batman in powered armor becomes more human and ergo more vulnerable in his enemies eyes but think about it).

Not only that but you have to understand the violence inherent in Wayne's personality... He likes to get down in the dirt, he likes to use his hands, to feel the battle up close.

He likes to use the skills he has, he likes to push himself to the limit, he likes to take the hard path, that's a basic Batman trait.

In short, I suspect Bruce would feel that the use of such an augmented suit as standard practice would make him soft.

He has augmented armors aplenty and if needed he has no issues using them (as we've seen many times) it's just that 99% of the time... He simply doesn't need it.

On to the final point, Bruce recruiting and equipping adult allies with power armor.

First of all (and this goes back to my first point about sidekicks in my earlier post) Bruce has never ever asked for help, in fact (and please correct me if I'm wrong) up until Batman INC, Bruce has never directly sought to recruit anyone, except Jason Todd. (at this point I give you a meaningful look -.-)

The Batman effect people often cite as the cause of super-villains in Gotham also applies to heroes imo.

But that aside, he already has a large network of adult allies both in Gotham and on call to help Gotham.

Huntress, Ragman, that bald assassin chick, Babs, Dick etc, plenty more I can't think of right off the bat (pun!) I'm sure.

Remember the 'network' that came together to defend Gotham after Final Crisis?

Anyway, I suspect if Bruce approached them with suits of power armor they'd politely decline (Imagine Dick wearing power armor? He could barely tolerate a cape!), they have their own styles and abilities.

(Although to be fair, I never understood why Babs didn't wear exoskeleton support on her legs at least).

Also you said instead of training them for 7 years or whatever he could just give them the armor...

Are you crazy? They'd be dead on their first night out.

Training for that kind of lifestyle is not just about causing destruction or beating people down... There is just as much mental preparation and discipline required to survive that kind of life, arguably far more than the physical requirements... Just look at poor old Jason.

btw, is the correct spelling "armour" or "armor"? Because I always spell it "armour" but google spellcheck is busting me over it.

Anyway... your turn OP. :)

I'm saying nothing until I see it drawn by other artists.

@Stevenson999 said:

I personally don't want Smallville to end and no time soon for several reasons

Have you been lost in time for a while or something?

Omega Sanction effect perhaps?

Smallville is gone baby gone, and the cynical attempt to "continue" into season 11 via comic book format is probably the coldest method of milking some more cash from an already dry cow I've seen in a long time.

Are you joking?

Clark would have left the kid to social services.

That is all.

@DeathpooltheT1000 said:

That shows that Morrison could go crazy, but at least isn an ahole like Moore.

Moore makes Steve Ditko look normal and the guy destroy my camera when i take a picture of him.

Oh Morrison is crazy... No question about it, but it's the good kind of crazy, the kind of crazy that gives us Final Crisis.

So was it Moore or Ditko that destroyed your camera?

I'm assuming Ditko, the guy is a notorious privacy nut and a virtual recluse media-wise afaik.

I knew it.

I haven't gone to see it... The first movie was insulting enough.

The problem is the approach... big balls action blah blah blah.

Ghost Rider should be at it's heart a very tragic, horrifying tale.

In an ideal world Alex Proyas would have directed Ghost Rider while at the height of his powers, post crow/dark city.

The movie would be R.

Rufus Sewell would play Blackheart (think it over kids, think it over, ever see him in Hamlet?)

Hugo Weaving as Mephisto.

Milo Ventimiglia as Johnny (tbh I think he'd be better as Danny).

This rather humble ensemble would I think deliver a far more serious and earnest take on the Ghost Rider.

Now I don't even mean that literally these people should do it but this is an example of how the studio should be thinking.

It's the Ghost Rider... not the freaking Expendables.

...and Nic Cage should be banned from soliciting comic book roles (which you know he does) just because he is a comic book fan.

His seeming opinion that just because he reads comics he should get all these roles helped ruin Ghost Rider and very nearly destroyed Superman... we should start a petition or something.

If he was a real fan he'd know he is unsuitable for the roles and would want to see the best possible casting, which IS NOT HIM!

/endrant.